§1189.5. Managed care organizations

            Managed care organizations, including but not limited to health maintenance organizations, other entities authorized by law to bear risk for the payment of health care services, and preferred provider organizations, which offer health services in the state through health service plans offered to Louisiana residents directly or indirectly, except with respect to a qualified benefit plan governed by ERISA, shall, in parishes in which enrollees or beneficiaries of the organization reside or in parishes which the organization services, offer rural hospitals and hospitals located in parishes with a population of sixty-five thousand or less, and physicians practicing at such hospitals, participation as providers in the managed care organizations on terms and conditions that are no more restrictive than applicable to other hospitals and physicians practicing at such hospitals. To qualify for participation in health services plans offered by managed care organizations, such hospitals may obtain either Medicare certification from the United States Department of Health and Human Services or accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any plan offered through the Office of Group Benefits.

            Acts 1997, No. 1485, §1; Acts 2001, No. 1178, §4, eff. June 29, 2001; Redesignated from R.S. 40:1300.145 by HCR 84 of 2015 R.S.